Friends of Richard Randolph at Emerald Towing parked his truck outside the funeral home in Boca Raton so that those closest to him could pay their respects in ways Richard would understand.
A coworker put his hands on the truck as if to say goodbye. Family members and friends wiped away tears as they did the same.
Richard, still working at age 69, died soon after he arrived at this scene last Wednesday. He fell from the overpass trying to tow away the tractor trailer that was teetering over I-95. His wife Judy told NewsChannel 5 last week, working and helping people made Richard happy.
"He was the best at what he did and he loved his job and loved the people he worked for. They're a wonderful family," said Judy.
That family spent the day rallying around Richard's widow. Tow truck drivers from across South Florida joined the celebration of his life, and to say their final goodbye.
More than 60 trucks lined up around the entire block. Some of them barely knew Richard, but that didn't matter.
Leonardo Vasquez with Sunshine Towing said, "Actually, you get to know everybody because this is like a brotherhood, a family so. It's like police and all that. It's a lifestyle." Lee Dominguez with Crazy Cuban Towing, "I feel really from the heart for what happened," he said.
As the funeral service ended, tow truck drivers prepared for the funeral procession. There was Judy, leading the group, stepping into her husband's truck. Dominguez knows Judy and her family will mourn for a long time.
"God bless them, to be strong. It breaks my heart and it's hard to be strong," Dominguez said.
